


Brotherly Love

by Tia



Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Episode 2, F/M, Season 9, Severide would be an awesome older brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27677521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tia/pseuds/Tia
Summary: Severide applies his own version of brotherly love, along with some hard truths, to Sylvie.Response to the end of 9x02, mostly written because I need some more Severide and Sylvie sibling scenes.
Relationships: Matthew Casey & Kelly Severide, Sylvie Brett & Kelly Severide, Sylvie Brett & Kelly Severide friendship, Sylvie Brett/Matthew Casey
Comments: 20
Kudos: 161





	Brotherly Love

**Author's Note:**

> Picks up after 9x02, with the assumption that Casey spilled everything to Severide already.

“For such a smart woman, you ask some really dumb questions sometimes!”

Of all the things that she had expected, the last thing she would’ve pictured was an aggravated Kelly Severide pounding on her door and storming inside as soon as she opened it.

“Severide-“

“Do not insult me by pretending like you don’t know exactly what I’m talking about, especially when you and your dumb questions are the reason why Casey is currently moping around my apartment while my girlfriend talks some sense into him, and you’re here alone drinking wine in the dark while I yell at you,” he warned. “So do us all a favor and put the wine glass down and pull your head out of your ass so that we can get back to where we all really want to be. Namely, me with my girlfriend in my apartment, and Casey here with you in yours. Self-fulfilling prophecy doesn’t just affect you, know you.”

Brett scowled, narrowing her eyes as she returned to her spot on the couch and deliberately picked up her glass to mockingly toast him with it before downing the remaining contents. She set the glass back down with a click. “Fine, then. You’re wrong though; Casey doesn’t want to be here with me. Or if he does, it’s only physically; most or all of his heart is still in Puerto Rico,” she snapped bitterly. “But sure. Go ahead and enlighten me, Kelly, since you’re obviously itching to anyway, and then we can go back to mutually ignoring each other like we have for the past six years.”

His brows shot up in surprise. “Oh, that’s an entirely separate conversation, but we will get back to it in a minute,” he retorted. “Answer me this first, though: how does it feel to be the victim of self-fulfilling prophecy yet again?”

“Again, no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Seriously? Then let me break it down for you. You, Sylvie Brett, have a history of assessing a situation in your personal life, deciding that it is not going to work out, and then actively looking for reasons to support that belief so that you are justified in walking away before you even try,” he said bluntly. “That is the epitome of self-fulfilling prophecy. In our line of work, it will get you killed. In your personal life, it means that you will never be happy until you, and only you, decide to break the cycle.”

Her jaw dropped. “I do not do that!”

“You sure about that? Dawson has been gone for over two years – “

“She came back six months ago!”

“For her job, Brett. Not for Casey.”

“They still slept together.”

“They were married for nearly five years, and were together for a year and a half before that,” he pointed out, crossing his arms. “Remind me of something, Brett. Why did you come to Chicago originally again?”

She blinked, seeing where he was going with this new line of questioning. “I-but- Harrison broke off the engagement originally, not me!“

“And he showed up in Chicago and asked you to come back with him,” Severide countered ruthlessly. “Get off of your high horse and stop being such a hypocrite already! How is that situation any different than what you asked Casey? I’ll tell you! The big difference is that Harrison came back for you, and Dawson came back for her job, and took advantage of an opportunity. And before you go there again, you of all people have no leg to stand on, because there is no way you can sit there and honestly tell me that you didn’t sleep with Harrison when he came here, and only _after_ that did you decide that he wasn’t right for you!”

She scowled, because they both knew that that was exactly what she had done.

“Brett, all I’m saying is, stop using Dawson as an excuse, and reach out and take what you want for once in your life! Break the cycle, and start living your life, instead of putting everyone else first,” he finished, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. “You and I both know that Casey is going to respect whatever boundaries you set, no matter how much it kills him. So this one is on you, and you alone.”

Severide watched as she sat back slowly, her expression dazed and her mind whirling. In five minutes, he had completely demolished nearly a year’s worth of guilt ridden fears and doubts and questions, pulling the rug out from under her. It was a lot for anyone to take in and process.

On the other hand, this was Sylvie Brett, silk over steel, steady and loyal and quite honestly one of the most bad ass women he had ever met, as well as an utter and complete enigma.

“If I admit that you are right and I am an idiot, how long will you lord this over me?” She grumbled ruefully after a moment, her entire defensive posture softening.

He chuckled, moving closer and holding out his hands. “Oh, it will come up whenever I deem necessary, for as long as I deem necessary,” he assured her. “C’mere.”

She eyed him warily, not budging. “Why?”

“Because the window on this hug that I am offering has a three second expiration, so come get it now or forever hold your peace. Three…two..”

“Ugh, fine,” she mock groaned, letting him pull her up into his arms. He tucked her in against him, amused at how neatly she fit under his chin, much like Shay had, so long ago. “Gonna be hard to go back to mutually ignoring each other after this though,” she mumbled into his chest.

He huffed, tightening his arms slightly. “So then don’t. I was never ignoring you, Sylvie. We were okay the first couple of weeks, and then you started avoiding me after I asked you to go to Vegas with me. Which, by the way, was meant as a purely platonic and friendly gesture, nothing more.”

“Kelly, you came back and you were _married_ ,” she laughed incredulously, leaning back to look up at him. “To a pretty, blue eyed blonde named _Britt_. And you were married for a month! How was I supposed to react to that and still act normal around you? Of course I avoided you!”

“We were married for three weeks, not a month,” he corrected, just to see the exasperated glare she shot him.

“And after that, you never made any real effort to renew whatever start of a friendship that we had begun during that first week, so I was just following your lead. I know whose shadow I walk in, Severide. I’m reminded every time that I open the Ambo driver side door, or walk down the corridor. I know how much Shay and I look alike, and how much you still miss her to this day. I can’t change that, so I tried to give you space so you don’t have that shoved in your face every day.”

And that, right there, was one of the many reasons why she was perfect for his best friend. Hell, she was practically the female version of Casey anyway, so there was no way that this couldn’t or shouldn’t happen.

“Brett,” he sighed, a bit humbled and chastened all at once. “That may have been true at first, but I am a grown ass man. It is not your responsibility to try to protect me like that.”

He understood her reasoning though, considering how much he had been blindsided by how much she and Shay really did look alike, how much even now she reminded him of his female best friend. So much so, that there was really only one path left to take…

“You know, if you’re going to be dating Casey, then our relationship is obviously going to have to change too,” he began casually, his eyes now sparkling with mischief. “And I think I did a pretty good job of playing the always right, incredibly hot but off limits big brother tonight, so we might as well make it official.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “Ohh no. Nuh-uh. No way!” She sputtered, shoving at him as he laughed and let her go. “You’re already overbearing and bossy, Severide! I don’t need an older brother!”

“Too late. Me n’ Case are a matched set,” he said cheerfully. “Where one goes, the other inevitably follows.”

“I know you didn’t do this with Gabby. Why me?” She huffed, scowling.

“Because you need it more than she ever did,” he replied wryly. “You are a better medic and PIC, and I believe that you’re going to be better for Casey than she ever was, yet you are constantly comparing yourself to some imaginary perfect version of Dawson that doesn’t exist, and never did.” Old resentments flared up and his mood darkened for a moment. “Dawson was bullheaded and arrogant and reckless, and I nearly lost both of my best friends because of her blind righteousness and refusal to yield or admit when she was wrong. So no, we were never remotely close enough for me to consider her family and make her an offer like I did to you just now.”

Brett was silent, studying him with narrowed eyes for a few moments. “That was an offer?” She said finally, wrinkling her nose. “Sounded more like an order to me.”

A slow grin bloomed. “Offer, order. Same difference,” he shrugged, as a familiar rapid knock sounded at the door. His grin widened as he sauntered over, opened it, and stood aside as Casey came barreling in, only to skid to a stop as he noticed the other man’s presence.

“See? Matched set,” Severide said to Brett with a wink. “My work here is done, so I’ll leave you to it.” He clapped his best friend on the shoulder as he passed, and shot him a smirk. “Don’t- actually, _do_ everything that I would do, and then some,” he advised. “Brett, one last piece of advice: actions speak louder than words. Case, I better not see you back at the apartment until sometime next week!”

“Oh my god, Severide – get out!” Brett groaned, burying her face in her hands as he chortled and did exactly that.

Casey watched him leave, before shaking his head and returning his attention to the woman in front of him. “Do I want to know what that was all about?”

“No, you really don’t,” she answered wryly, drinking in the sight of him.

“Sylvie –“

Like she had done barely 24 hours ago, she stepped forward, leaned up and covered his mouth with hers, instantly silencing whatever he was going to say. Unlike that first time though, Casey instantly responded, taking over and drawing a moan out of her throat as he pressed into her, licking and nibbling and tasting every inch of her mouth, even as he backed her towards the couch.

 _Actions speak louder than words_ , Severide had said before he left, so she let herself sink into the sensations that were coursing through her body, closed her eyes and just let herself _feel_ for a moment, only to feel Casey pull away. She opened her eyes and sat up to see him watching her intently, waiting.

“There is no place in the world that I would rather be than right here,” he said softly. “Gabby she asked me to go with her the first time, and I didn’t, and that was when I still loved her. A part of me will always love her. But I didn’t go with her then, and I wouldn’t go with her now, because she is a part of my past. And you, Sylvie Brett, you are all I see in front of me for my future.”

She sucked in a sharp breath as tears filled her eyes, which he wiped away before kissing her lingeringly again, the gesture slow and achingly sweet.

“You’re all I see too,” she murmured against his lips. “Every time, no matter where we are, you’re my lodestone. My northern star. Every path I take leads me back to you, no matter how far away I go. And that terrifies me, Matt, because losing you could break me.”

And there was the true crux of the matter; the real reason that she had resisted for so long, used every excuse that she could think of to keep him at arm’s length as much as possible.

“I won’t say that you won’t physically lose me,” he said finally, taking her hands in his. “There’s always that possibility, especially in our line of work. But I can promise that I will always fight like hell to come back to you.”

She glanced away, biting her lip, which he gently swiped with his thumb to free it. “Sylvie.” She returned her gaze to his, which was full of love and warmth. “Don’t you see? You already have my heart, so I’m always with you, no matter what.”

He held his breath as her face lit up with joy, only to have it knocked out of him as she pounced, kissing him furiously. He managed to rally enough to maneuver them both up, large hands going to her ass to encourage her to wrap her legs around him as he carried her to the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them.


End file.
